A moral stand often pays out

Published 10:42 pm, Sunday, February 17, 2013

George Will ("Misguided divesting in Chicago," Feb. 3) excoriates liberals for being principled enough to not put their money where their money ought not to be. He chuckles his way through a litany of father-knows-best advice for Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel and other "liberal ethicists."

Mr. Will prefers we make money the old-fashioned way, ignoring the morality. He says divestment can hurt the public employees Mr. Will pretends to worry for. However, we are simply being pragmatically idealistic. We believe money speaks, and we must speak.

Mr. Will argues such powerful companies will not blink or bend to public pressure. He seems to forget the Boy Scouts of America recently alluding to a possible change of heart over its anti-gay policy. That organization knows its funding will be affected because wealthy donor companies now have policies that preclude them from donating to those who engage in discrimination. These policies are in effect because of "liberal ethicists." Threats of boycotts, sit-ins, etc. remind us to "never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world."

While Mr. Will may be right in saying oil and gun companies may laugh all the way to the bank as liberals pull their money out of their coffers, it does not diminish the need to change people's minds about either a gun culture that needs changing or an environment that needs attention. When we speak out, we take the risk of seeming absurd to those who do not share our values. So be it.